"The doorway is blocked so I can't come to you," Elena's voice came through clearly, though the heavy and mystical barrier between them made it sound distant and muffled. "But since you can hear me, I need you to listen to me carefully and do exactly as I say."
Tessy stood frozen, her shoulders tense, her arms wrapped around herself in a futile attempt to feel grounded. Her eyes darted anxiously around the room, never resting too long on one spot. Always, they came back to that thing—that swirling, glowing portal that seemed to breathe and hum with an energy of its own. It pulsed in the place where the door should be, like a living creature, calling her with soft whispers that threaded through the air like smoke.
"Okay," Tessy responded with a shaky voice. Her throat felt dry, like sandpaper, and her voice trembled as much as her fingers did. She took careful backward steps, trying to stay away from the portal even though something in it tugged at her very core.
